ISLAMABAD, May 23 (APP): Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Monday underlined the need for making collective efforts to raise the national economy on sustainable basis so that the country could be put again on consistent path of progress and prosperity.
“We [parliamentary parties] are duty-bound and it is our collective fight to stand the country again on strong footing and embark on the journey of economic stability,” he said on the floor of the National Assembly.
During the tenure of the PTI government, he said, Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif had made utmost efforts to convince Imran Khan’s cabinet for devising a charter of economy in the supreme national interest, but he (Imran Khan) always ignored it.
Khawaja Asif said the past rulers and their allies committed billions of rupees corruption, and destroyed the government departments due to their bad governance and incompetence.
He vowed that opposition and government parties would work together for revival of the ruined departments and strengthening national economy.
The minister criticized Imran Khan for taking frequent U-turns on their statements and announcements, recalling his [Imran Khan] view point on ‘neutral’ when he was facing the no-confidence motion in the National Assembly and now he announced the Long March towards Islamabad.
He said if the attendance of parliamentarians in the NA was counted of the PTI regime’s tenure, Imran Khan would be bottom of the list that showed how seriously he took the Parliamentary proceedings.
Even so, he said, Imran Khan did not fulfill any of his promises he made with the public during the election-2018 whether these were construction of five million housing units or provision of 10 million jobs to youth.
He congratulated Raja Raiz for being appointed as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and assured that the treasury benches would welcome all constructive criticism and good suggestions by the opposition.
